The 2011 Bandwagon

What are your hopes for 2011? Here are mine:

1. Work less. Spend more time with my family. Working from home doesn't equate to being able to spend more time with the ones you love. It also means maximizing work time so that it's all done in the most timely fashion. So, less navel-gazing while working & more working = more time with the dudes. Simple enough, right?
2. More time reading & writing. I figure the more I read, the better writer I become. I want to write less "OMG"s and "LOL"s and more things that are meaningful. Once again, simple enough...
3. Cook more meals at home.
   
4. Buy from the farmer's market as much as possible.
5. Go on walks. We live 1 block from a sweet walking trail. It's so easy...
   
6. More time with real folks, less time engaged in cyber-space. I want "My Two Sons" to flourish this year, but I need to spend less time on Facebook. Don't we all? Time suck. Now that we're closer to family & friends, this shouldn't be hard to do. I may need some accountability. I deleted my Twitter last year, but I want to keep Facebook. Perhaps check it once a day? When I post my link to my new blog post?
7. Be a great wife & mom. My patience and kindness took a major hit in 2010. I don't like it. I want to be different. I also think this is related to #6.
   

Tell me what your wishing for this year...

Move Over, Williams-Sonoma

I'm always looking for a new holiday goody to share with my family & give away to friends. I love to bake, but cookies can become a bit of a chore and a mess (although they are FUN). Candy and fudge need thermometers and that gets tricky when you have small people that want to "help". Measuring temperatures while two kids fight for real-estate in the Learning Tower and arguing over who gets to stir and pour the lava-like concoction can get a little taxing.

This year, I decided to go with Peppermint Bark, which seemed like something everyone could participate in pretty safely, and it just sounded good. My old blogging friend Sarah started my wheels turning with this picture, and last night I went to work on my test batch. We'll be making more for gifts today, because, y'all...it's friggin' amazing. The recipe is from Bon Appetit, December 1998, and can be found in detail here. This is all you will need:

17 ounces good-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Baker's), finely chopped

30 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed (about 6 ounces)

7 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 tablespoons whipping cream

3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

Folks, this is so easy. And so much less and so much better than what you will buy at a store. Not to mention, you can package it up nice & pretty your very own self and make it your own. Nothing says Christmas and holiday spirit like a home-made, hand-packaged gift. That is, if it makes it to the intended parties and not into your tum...

Alexander

Today, we're headed down to the Coterie Theatre to see a live version of Judith Viorst's classic, "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day". We're all very excited. In 7th or 8th grade, I memorized this book for a speech contest, where I completely bombed. And I mean bombed. However, I still LOVE this book. Noel & Lennon do too. There's also a cute HBO Storybook musical version that they dig, and Lennon likes to walk around singing, "I've had a TERRIBLE! I've had a HORRIBLE! I've had a TERRIBLE! HORRIBLE! NO GOOD! VERY BAD! DAYYYYYY," which I need to catch on video. I hope the live version lives up to the book and musical versions with which we're already familiar. I've heard good things. I'm hopeful everyone will enjoy themselves.

I've also got chicken pot pies in the oven, and my mom is bringing over apple crisp...somehow I don't think this is going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

The Tour of Brotherly Love

The past couple of times Noel & Lennon have trotted out the instruments, I've taken out the camera and started snapping photos. All of them but this one are candid. They had both been placing the pick on their eyes, and I thought it would make a good picture. Noel would not oblige once I asked them to take one together. Still, a good future album cover shot.

I am going to make a habit of taking these pictures while they play. They aren't really playing anything at this point, but it is fascinating to see them study the guitar and bass and see the different sounds they can create as they turn knobs, flip switches, use the picks to discover sounds on the strings: up, down, sideways...they don't just make noise. They are discovering. I am seeing young musicians as they teach themselves their craft.

Don't be afraid to let your kids play around with your things...teach them respect for them, but let them learn from them. You will be amazed.

I also love this picture because they are doing the exact same thing, the exact opposite way, which pretty much sums up them to a T.

Another insert in a future album cover, right? They look like they are so deep in conversation, discussing the recording of their latest song. Mark my words...

Today Was Good, Today Was Fun. Tomorrow Is Another One. -Dr. Seuss

I really hope this video works.

We went to an instore at the best local record store (yes, there is still one). We saw Gustafer Yellowgold's creators, Morgan & Rachel, perform songs from Gustafer Yellowgold's three albums. You guys...this is good music. I love this stuff. Forget all you know about children's music. It does not apply to Gustafer Yellowgold. CHECK THEM OUT NOW!!!!!

Ok, now let me tell you a little about our day. We have had a tough couple of days, with good reason. So, I was a lot nervous about how this day would go. Well, it really couldn't have gone better. Dallas is about a 45 minute drive, which, some of you know is not an easy haul with a 3 & 1 year old, but we took our chances and went. We had the best afternoon. We got to go see the show, which only lasted about an hour (perfect time for our age group) & go out to dinner. We were in Dallas, pretty much sitting or being in a chair for approximately 5 hours, and our children were complete and total angels. It was unbelievable!!!!!!!!!! Our great friends and partners in Space Monkey surprised us by meeting us at Good Records. The whole afternoon was just really a lot better than I thought it would be, and I love it when that happens. Today was great, and I think tomorrow will be even better. Yay, us.

Noel & Lennon at Good Records watching Gustafer Yellowgold.

You saw it here first. Lennon sat for more than 3 seconds!

The benefits of having a crappy old cell phone: kids can play with them at long dinners!
We got to sit under a tin palm tree at Chuy's.
They are holding hands; they are laughing. This is a perfect day.

One more thing about Gustafer Yellowgold reaaaaaal quickly: they are hosting a camp this week in Irving, TX, which sounds abosolutely amazing. At the end of the week, the campers & Gustafer will present a show, which we are attending!!! I'm so psyched to see what this is like. I'll definitely get video and pictures, because this will be one of a kind. Oh, did I mention, we're going to interview them on Tuesday, at 5:15?? Isn't that COOL!?!

Oatmeal Time!

Tomorrow, Lennon will be four months old. How unbelievable! It's not just exciting that he's getting older & wiser, but it means that he can eat food! I was at the store the other day and found Earth's Best cereals on sale, so I bought a box of each kind. This weekend, I'll get some carrots, peaches, green beans and sweet potatoes and start the old food processor up. I love making my own baby food. It's super easy and I know exactly how long sat on a shelf-never!

I found this website when I started making food for Noel and I found it really helpful. It even has recipes for making your own cereal, but I want to check with the doctor on that one before I go down that road. I want to make sure Lennon's getting the iron he needs so he'll be big and strong. :) According to Wholesome Baby Food, making your own is fine, but I'll still double check.

This is exciting to me mainly for one reason. Sleep. Beautiful, glorious sleep. Noel was sleeping through the night at 2 months. Lennon, not so much. He isn't fully waking up, or even necessarily wanting to eat...he's just super restless, especially at night. I hope that the heartier food will keep him filled up and more calm at night...Let's hope.

The one and only drawback to the whole "real food" scenario is the poop. The poop will go from being easy and not smelly to gross...but it's worth it. My hungry, hungry hippo will hopefully be satisfied and start to sleep through the night...I'll keep you posted.